BEFORE
Involve someone else. If possible, have a friend quit
smoking with you.
Switch to a distasteful brand
Cut down the number of cigarettes you smoke
Don’t smoke “automatically” Try to find the things
in your daily life that you often do while smoking
(such as drinking your morning cup of coffee or driving a car)
Store cigarette butts in a glass jar (to use when
you are trying to quit–they will nauseate you :-))
Buy cigarettes by the pack rather than the carton
Set a date for quitting
Notice when and why you smoke
Change your smoking routines; Keep your cigarettes
in a different place
Smoke with your other hand
Don’t do anything else when smoking
Think about how you feel when you smoke
Smoke only in certain places, such as outdoors.
When you want a cigarette, wait a few minutes. Try
to think of something to do instead of smoking;
you might chew gum or drink a glass of water.
M ake smoking unpleasant by drinking milk
JUST BEFORE QUITTING
Practice going without cigarettes
Don’t think of NEVER smoking again--just think in
terms of one day at a time
Clean your clothes to get rid of cigarette smell
Get teeth cleaned
Plan what you can buy for yourself or someone else
with what you save
ON THE DAY YOU QUIT
Throw away all cigarettes and matches. Hide lighters
and ashtrays
Stay very busy
Change your morning routine. When you eat breakfast,
don’t sit in the same place at the kitchen table
When you get the urge to smoke, do something else
instead.
Carry other things to put in your mouth, such as gum,
hard candy, toothpick, pencil, or paper clip
Celebrate and reward yourself at the end of the day
for not smoking. See a movie or go out and eat
Remind family and friends to help you over the first
two weeks
Buy flowers or Glade fresheners for your work and
living area
Spend as much free time where smoking isn’t allowed
Drink large quantities of water and fruit juice
Avoid caffeine, spicy foods and alcohol--they stimulate
the desire to smoke
“Strike-up” a conversation rather than a match with
each urge
After meals, get up immediately and brush your teeth
or go for a walk
Listen to what interests you in your car or at home
instead of smoking
Avoid situations you associate with the pleasurable
aspects of smoking
Associate with nonsmokers. Tell your smoking
friends you prefer they not smoke around you.
DURING EACH URGE
Drink fluids--they dilute the nicotine levels in your
brain
Try carrot sticks, pickles, sunflower seeds, apples,
celery, raisins, or gum
Take 10 deep breaths and hold the last one while
lighting a match. Slowly blow out the match. Pretend it’s a
cigarette and crush it out.
Call your partner in quitting
Take a shower
Do a relaxation exercise
Light incense or a candle instead of a cigarette
Exercise--an urge usually lasts less than 5 minutes
Look in a mirror and say: “I choose not to smoke.”
Get 8 hours of sleep every 24 hours.
STAYING QUIT
Don’t worry if you are sleepier or more short-tempered
than usual; these feelings will pass
Try to exercise-take walks or ride a bike regularly
Consider the positive things about quitting, such
as how much you like yourself as a non-smoker,
health benefits for you and your family, and the example you set for others
around you. A positive attitude
will help you through the tough times.
When you feel tense, try to keep busy, think about
ways to solve the problem, tell yourself that
smoking won’t make it any better, and go do something else.
Eat regular meals. Feeling hungry is sometimes mistaken
for the desire to smoke.
Start a money jar with the money you save by not buying
cigarettes.
Let others know that you have quit smoking-most people
will support you. Many of your smoking friends may want to know how you
quit. It’s good to talk to others about your quitting.
If you slip and smoke, don’t be discouraged. Many
former smokers tried to stop several times before they finally succeeded.
Quit again.
To Prevent weight gain (the greatest fear!)
Remember, the average weight gain is around 7 pounds,
but it is lost within three months
Don't try dieting yet. Wait until you are in
control of not smoking.
Slow down your eating. Enjoy the taste and texture
of your food. Carry low-calorie, low-fat snacking foods. Select
foods that require some work to eat.
Eat foods that take a long time to chew. Apples,
unbuttered popcorn, carrots, and celery are all good choices. Try
eating more vegetables and bread without butter while decreasing meat portions.
The exercise and drink some of that water before you
eat. You'll feel full sooner.
When you're finished eating, get up.
For more information:
http://www.lungusa.org/partner/quit/
COMMON RATIONALIZATIONS WITH REALITY
| I’m under a lot of stress and smoking relaxes me | Your body is used to nicotine, so you naturally feel more relaxed when you give your body a substance upon which it has grown dependent. But nicotine really is a stimulant; it raises your heart rate, blood pressure, and adrenaline level. Most ex-smokers feel much less nervous just a few weeks after quitting. |
| Smoking makes me more effective in my work | Trouble concentrating can be a short-term symptom of quitting, but smoking actually deprives your brain of oxygen. |
| I’ve already cut down to a safe level | Cutting down is a good first step, but there’s a big difference in the benefits to you between smoking a little and not smoking at all. Besides, smokers who cut back often inhale more often and more deeply, negating many of the benefits of cutting back. After you’ve cut back to about seven cigarettes a day, it’s time to set a quite date. |
| I smoke only safe, low-tar/lor-nicotine cigarettes | These cigarettes still contain harmful substances, and many smokers who use them inhale more often and more deeply to maintain their nicotine intake. Also, carbon monoxide intake often increases with a switch to low-tar cigarettes. |
| It’s too hard to quit. I don’t have the willpower | Quitting and staying away from cigarettes is hard, but it’s not impossible. More than 3 million Americans quit every year. It’s important for you to remember that many people have had to try more than once, and try more than one method, before they became ex-smokers, but they have done it, and so can you. |
| I’m worried about gaining weight | Most smokers who gain more than 5-10 pounds are eating more. Gaining weight isn’t inevitable. There are certain things you can do to help keep your weight stable. |
| Sometimes I have an almost irresistible urge to have a cigarette | This is a common feeling, especially within the first 1-3 weeks. The longer you’re off cigarettes, the more your urges probably will come at times when you smoked before, such as when you’re drinking coffee or alcohol or are at a party where other people are smoking. These are high-risk situations, and you can help yourself by avoiding them whenever possible. If you can’t avoid them, you can try to visualize in advance how you’ll handle the desire for a cigarette if it arises in those situations. |
| I am a failure if I smoke a cigarette when I get weak | Smoking one or a few cigarettes doesn’t mean you’ve “blown it.” It does mean that you have to strengthen your determination to quit and try again--harder. Don’t forget that you got through several days, perhaps even weeks or months, without a cigarette. This shows that you don’t need cigarettes and that you can be a successful quitter! |
| I don’t know what to do with my hands | That is a common complaint among ex-smokers. You can keep your hands busy in other ways; it’s just a matter of getting used to the change of not holding a cigarette. Try holding something else, such as a pencil, paper clip, or marble. Practice simply keeping your hands clasped together. If you’re at home, think of all the things you wish you had time to do, make a list, and consult the list for alternatives to smoking whenever your hands feel restless. |
PERSONAL BENEFITS
To be successful at kicking the habit, you will need to be aware of the benefits you will receive from not smoking. This list will be something to keep with you during the first month. Refer to this list each time you feel an urge to smoke.
Consider the physical, emotional and monetary benefits of being a non-smoker. Then, write down as many of your ideas as you can below:
The benefits that I will get by becoming a non-smoker are:
1. ________________________________________________.
2. ________________________________________________.
3. ________________________________________________.
4. ________________________________________________.
5. ________________________________________________.
6. ________________________________________________.
7. ________________________________________________.
ONLY in case of relapse complete the four blanks below.
The benefits of becoming a smoker again are:
1. ________________________________________________.
2. ________________________________________________.
3. ________________________________________________.
4. ________________________________________________.
Fill these in to help you realize how well you are doing!
URGES YOU OVERCOME!
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| Week 7 |
This section can help you pinpoint the problem times and triggers for
smoking or using tobacco.
PLUS, you will be able to see the progress you are making--After 10
days, you will be ALMOST
free from these urges!
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